IPAC hotswapping? How about daisy chaining IPAC's?

[Jakobud]

Yo guys,

Getting ready to start another project (I'll get a website going for my first arcade cabinet eventually), and I'm looking at the I-PAC's.  For my last project I used a Hagstrom encoder.

Anyways, what I am wondering about the IPAC's is can they be hot-swapped?  You know, with a PS/2 keyboard or mouse if you unplug it while the cpu is running and then plug it back in, it won't work.  You have to restart.  I noticed with the IPAC there is the USB option (and most USB devices are hotswappable).  But it sort of looks like it's just a PS/2-->USB adapter.  So I'm not sure.  Is it hotswappable?  Can you unplug it and then replug it back in and expect it to work (w/o restarting)?

Also, I'm wondering about daisy chaining IPAC's together.  From what I read on the website I think this will work.  Anyone know for sure?  Also, back to the hotswapping thing, if I have one IPAC plugged in with my machine running and I take another IPAC and plug it in to my first IPAC (daisy chaining them) will the second IPAC be recognized?

Don't ask why please  Lets just say I am brewing a unique project

jakobud

[cdbrown]

Did you consider sending Andy Warne a quick email on this.  He's normally very good at replying.  I have read on his site that daisy chaining works but don't know about daisying without a restart .

Cheers
-cdbrown

[SNAAAKE]

should work as long as you go USB.Email Andy then reply here with the result to clear things.

[Tiger-Heli]

I'm not positive about all of this, so I'll answer what I can and I still recommend you E-mail Andy about the details.

Anyways, what I am wondering about the IPAC's is can they be hot-swapped?  You know, with a PS/2 keyboard or mouse if you unplug it while the cpu is running and then plug it back in, it won't work.  You have to restart.

Actually, I've hot-swapped PS/2 mice before also.  I think it depends on what OS you are using.  Actually, if I remember correctly, the way it works is:

Start machine with PS/2 mouse installed, unplug and plug in mouse - no problem.
Start machine with PS/2 mouse unplugged, requires restart, with USB, you could just plug the mouse in and go.

I noticed with the IPAC there is the USB option (and most USB devices are hotswappable).  But it sort of looks like it's just a PS/2-->USB adapter.  So I'm not sure.  Is it hotswappable?  Can you unplug it and then replug it back in and expect it to work (w/o restarting)?

I don't think the interface matters, I think the computer is always checking for activity on the USB ports, so it will detect a device when you plug it in.  I would expect the I-PAC to be hot-swappable in USB mode.

Also, I'm wondering about daisy chaining IPAC's together.  From what I read on the website I think this will work.  Anyone know for sure?

You can daisy chain two I-PAC/2 (28-inputs) together in PS/2 mode for 55-inputs (IIRC, it seems like you lost one input when daisy chaining).  Andy also sells an I-PAC/4 (56-inputs) for less money than 2 I-PAC/2's.  I'm not sure if you can daisy-chain the I-PAC/4's, but I think so.

You also can use multiple I-PAC's in USB mode (up to the 101-keyboard key inputs).  Be advised that the keyboard pass-thru port is disabled in USB mode, so you can't daisy-chain in this mode.

Also, back to the hotswapping thing, if I have one IPAC plugged in with my machine running and I take another IPAC and plug it in to my first IPAC (daisy chaining them) will the second IPAC be recognized?

As I said, definitely not in USB mode, in PS/2 mode I think you can, but I'm not sure, ask Andy.

Don't ask why please  Lets just say I am brewing a unique project

Fair enough!  Good luck!!!

[mravett]

 I've never had any problems hotswapping either PS/2 mice or keyboards.  While testing my keyboard hack I switched keyboards on the fly repeatedly and never had a problem.  It's worked for me in both Win98 and XP.

Ryan

[SNAAAKE]

what you talking about ?
win 98 cant do hotswap with mice or anything that is ps2 connnecter without restarting?

However...  works perfectly on xp.

[The Man]

I've never had any problems hotswapping either PS/2 mice or keyboards.  While testing my keyboard hack I switched keyboards on the fly repeatedly and never had a problem.  It's worked for me in both Win98 and XP.

Ryan

I don't think this is a problem as long as you have a keyboard/mouse plugged in when you start the system, but it will not be recognized if one wasn't available on startup.

Now I have a question.  Why can't you use the keyboard pass through on the IPAC when using USB?  I just don't understand that.

TM

[Tiger-Heli]

I've never had any problems hotswapping either PS/2 mice or keyboards.  While testing my keyboard hack I switched keyboards on the fly repeatedly and never had a problem.  It's worked for me in both Win98 and XP.

Ryan

Now I have a question.  Why can't you use the keyboard pass through on the IPAC when using USB?  I just don't understand that.

Andy E-mailed me that it was disabled.  He didn't say why, however, if you have the I-PAC in USB mode, you can still use a PS/2 keyboard in the keyboard port.  If you have a USB keyboard, you can use it and the I-PAC together, so I don't see any need for the pass-thru in USB mode.

[The Man]

I've never had any problems hotswapping either PS/2 mice or keyboards.  While testing my keyboard hack I switched keyboards on the fly repeatedly and never had a problem.  It's worked for me in both Win98 and XP.

Ryan

Now I have a question.  Why can't you use the keyboard pass through on the IPAC when using USB?  I just don't understand that.

Andy E-mailed me that it was disabled.  He didn't say why, however, if you have the I-PAC in USB mode, you can still use a PS/2 keyboard in the keyboard port.  If you have a USB keyboard, you can use it and the I-PAC together, so I don't see any need for the pass-thru in USB mode.

Very good point.  There you go, thinkin outside the box again!  I don't see why you want to go, its always so warm in the box